Meet Our Team

My name is Lucero Cerda. I grew up in Yuma, Arizona. I graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2018 and earned my bachelor’s degree in early childhood and elementary education. I am an AVID certified teacher. This is my second-year teaching. I am excited to be part of the Dorothy Hall Elementary team as a kindergarten teacher. I am sure we will all have a wonderful time! I believe children learn through meaningful experiences. I value hands-on activities, explorations, and collaboration. I love teaching to seeing growth. I believe all students are capable of success. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Children are sponges, soaking up every verbal and nonverbal interaction.” - Asa Don Brown

Hello! I am Marcella Reardon. I have been an educator for Yuma School District One for 22 years. It is a privilege to be a part of Dorothy Hall Elementary School’s amazing kindergarten team for the upcoming school year. I have been a skilled educator of English for many years, teaching children whose primary language is other than English. I am looking forward to learning about the AVID philosophy and implementing its strategies in the classroom. I am a Yuma native and am proud to be a part of a community that is rich in culture and history. I am committed to helping children discover their talents and become the future citizens of our community. I believe all children can succeed, NO EXCEPTIONS!

“When you see something beautiful in someone, tell them. It may take a second to say, but for them, it could last a lifetime.” - Author unknown

Hi, I am Leticia Velasquez, and I am excited to be part of the Dorothy Hall Elementary School staff. I received my bachelor’s of science in education with an endorsement in early childhood from Northern Arizona University in May 2018. This will be my second year of teaching. I am an AVID certified teacher, and I believe students can have meaningful learning experiences through collaboration and hands-on learning. I love teaching because I believe children have great potential. I am so excited to get this year started!

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” - Albert Einstein

Hello! I am Jennifer Henderson, and I am thrilled to be a part of the new adventure at Dorothy Hall Elementary! I have been a teacher for twenty years during which time I have taught adults and children in different grades. However, I always return to first grade; it is my passion to help students become readers and develop a LOVE of reading! I believe creating an environment for young students to build a solid foundation and teaching them tools to foster their desire for learning is paramount to their future endeavors. My personal beliefs and educational vision align with the AVID mission and cohesive staff selected for this amazing, innovative school. I welcome your child into my room and look forward to working with your family!

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” - William Butler Yeats

Hi, I am Evonne Newell. I am very excited to be a part of the Dorothy Hall Elementary school staff. I have the honor of teaching first grade. I have been an educator for over thirteen years and have been with Yuma District One since 2013. I am an AVID certified teacher and believe that all students are capable of success. I think that building a sense of community in the classroom and allowing students the opportunity to collaborate is important. It is also important to help all students foster a love of learning.

“Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” A.A Milne

My name is Rocio Bobbio. I am very excited to be part of the Dorothy Hall team. I will be teaching second grade and cannot wait to begin this new journey. I have been with Yuma Elementary School District One since 2015. I earned my bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University in liberal studies with an emphasis in science and my master’s degree in education from National University.

I have been a teacher for three years and have learned so much through my students, and the success of each student makes my job as a teacher so rewarding. I believe education is one of the greatest gifts you can give someone. I love challenging and supporting students to be the best they can be. I believe all students are capable of learning and being amazing. My goal is to bring that out in each one of them.

“Be the change you want to see in the world."
-- Mahatma Ghandi

Hi! I’m Dawn Meredith and I am excited and honored to be part of the Dorothy Hall Elementary staff. I graduated from The University of Arizona in 2014 with my bachelor’s degree in elementary education. I moved to Yuma five years ago from San Diego, and I am now going into my fifth year of teaching second grade for Yuma District One. I believe that all students should have the opportunity to succeed and believe in themselves. I believe in teaching students about the growth mindset that provides them with crucial skills to succeed throughout their educational experience. I love giving my students opportunities to collaborate and use problem-solving skills. I am also passionate about teaching my students about kindness to ensure they grow up to be empathetic, courteous, and respectful adults. I look forward to teaching and learning along with your children!

“Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.” - Kid President

I am Nereyda Cochran, and I have been teaching for eight years in Yuma School District One. I have taught second grade for the majority of my teaching career and am currently a third-grade English language arts teacher. I am a Yuma native and the daughter of Spanish-speaking migrant workers. I am a proud product of public education and honored to be joining a group of wonderful and innovative teachers at Dorothy Hall Elementary School. I can’t wait to begin! I will be teaching third grade for the 2019-2020 school year. I am looking forward to learning all about the AVID philosophy and strategies and implementing them in my classroom. I am excited to meet my new students and be challenged by their learning styles. I have a flexible and diverse teaching style. I believe in student collaboration and am striving to be an innovative teacher who believes ALL students are capable of success, NO EXCEPTIONS!

“Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” - John C. Maxwell

Hi, my name is Celia Venegas, and I am delighted to be a part of the Dorothy Hall Team for the upcoming school year! This will be my fifth year teaching third grade. I am a proud “Yuman” and product of Yuma School District One (Go Jaguars and Falcons!). I am excited to integrate AVID strategies into my innovative teaching style. In my classroom, I strive to provide a learning environment that fosters collaboration, innovation, and fun! Before I obtained a bachelor’s of science degree in special and elementary education from Northern Arizona University, I worked for 11 years as the education coordinator at the Boys and Girls Club of Yuma. When I am not teaching, you can find me practicing softball with my daughter or volunteering at community events with my Optimist Club. I look forward to meeting all of the wonderful third-grade scholars who walk into my classroom and impress on them that they are capable of success, NO EXCEPTIONS!

“Believe there is good in the world.” - Anonymous

Hello, I’m Laura Danford. I’m honored to be a part of the Dorothy Hall Elementary school staff. I’ve been an educator for over nine years and have been with Yuma District One since 2012. I am so excited to teach fourth and fifth-grade science this year. I am passionate about personalized learning and student choice in the classroom. I am AVID certified and encourage student innovation through collaborative and hands-on learning. I believe that all students are capable of success.

I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples. - Mother Teresa

My name is Penny Doten. I’m so excited to be a part of the Dorothy Hall Elementary School staff. I’ve been teaching in Yuma School District One for 26 years, with a focus in math. I welcome the opportunity to teach fourth and fifth-grade math for the 2019-2020 school year. As an AVID certified teacher, I am committed to using strategies that will help all students become college and career ready. I believe all kids are capable of success and know that with a strong team of students, parents, and educators, we will create a positive and successful school year!

“You never fail until you stop trying.” - Albert Einstein

Hi, I am Stacey Melton. I’m honored to be a part of the Dorothy Hall Elementary school staff. I’ve been an educator for over 16 years and have been with Yuma District One since 2011. I am very excited to teach fourth and fifth-grade social studies. I am an AVID certified teacher and loyal to the AVID philosophy of learning. I have an innovative teaching style and believe that student choice and collaboration are vital to overall student success. I believe all students must be college and career ready and that the development of those skills should begin in the elementary classroom. I am committed to finding the skills and talents that exist in each child and am dedicated to ensuring that all students believe they are capable of success, NO EXCEPTIONS!

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” - Les Brown

Hello, I am Melanny Navarro. I am honored and thrilled to be a part of the Dorothy Hall Elementary school staff. I am so excited to teach fourth and fifth-grade English and language arts (ELA) for the 2019-2020 school year. This will be such an exciting journey at a brand new school, with brand new ideas, innovative methods, and where our instruction will be shaped to match each child’s needs. One of the things I am most excited about is that Dorothy Hall will be an AVID school! I have been working with AVID for years, and I truly believe its philosophy is effective in preparing our kids for college, careers, and life. I believe that the skills necessary to be successful in college should be taught in elementary school because every child is capable of being college and career ready. All children are capable of success, NO EXCEPTIONS!

“Don’t wait for opportunity...Create it."

My name is Amanda Baran and I am the school counselor at Dorothy Hall. I am very excited to be joining the Dorothy Hall team. I love working with students and helping them with their social and emotional learning. I believe that students' emotional and social well-being is as important as their academics. If students feel welcomed and supported at school, they will be successful in school. I am looking forward to a great school year at Dorothy Hall!

"I'm convinced that when we help our children find healthy ways of dealing with their feelings, ways that don't hurt them or anyone else, we're helping to make our world a safe, better place"
-Fred Rogers

Hello! My name is McKenzie May. I am beyond thrilled to be joining the Dorothy Hall Elementary team! This is my fourth year of teaching. I moved to Yuma from Kansas to begin my teaching career with Yuma School District One in 2016. I received my bachelors of art education with an emphasis in ceramics from the University of Kansas in 2015. I am currently pursuing a master’s of special education from Northern Arizona University. As an educator, I have had the opportunity to focus on building strengths such as empathizing with my students while maintaining productivity and a positive environment. I strive to foster understanding in my classroom in order to expand the knowledge base of my students as well as nurture their emotional needs. I feel comfortable taking on the role of both student and teacher and am able to challenge my students and myself to be the best we can–in and out of the classroom.

“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” - Malala Yousafzai

Hi, my name is Diana Salazar, and I am very excited to be part of the Dorothy Hall Elementary school staff. I have been with Yuma District One since 2013 and am looking forward to teaching the special education class for this upcoming school year. I believe every school has its own unique community, and I am committed to assisting each child in discovering their own potential and learning style. My goal as a teacher is to teach students to embrace who they are as well as the uniqueness of others. I truly believe every child is capable of success, and I will work to the best of my ability to help them in their educational journey.

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” - Benjamin Franklin